Author Archives: Frank Norman

About Frank Norman

I am a retired librarian. I spent 40 years working in biomedical research libraries.

Creativity – mixing it up

Posted on 9 December 2014 by Frank Norman

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve had cause to celebrate dramatic creativity in various forms, mixed and mingled. I’ve seen one film and two musicals; two with a biographical bent and one with a (fictional) scientific bent. Two weeks … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Film and music, Music | Comments Off on Creativity – mixing it up

The rules

Posted on 3 December 2014 by Frank Norman

Rules can help us get by in life – everyone agreeing to drive on the left probably reduces the accident rate on roads quite a bit. But rules have a tendency to take over, a bit like Lord Acton’s dictum on power. … Continue reading →

Posted in Open Access, Research Councils, rules | Comments Off on The rules

Advanced photo technology

Posted on 15 November 2014 by Frank Norman

I do love the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, but when it comes to stories about science and technology or popular culture the presenters can be exasperating. This morning John Humphrey kept calling Philae the “Mars explorer” and seemingly … Continue reading →

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Terrors transcended

Posted on 28 October 2014 by Frank Norman

On balance, I prefer laughing to crying but I am not afraid to let my tears flow. Powerful drama can do it, so can stirring music. I may cry when I recall events or times in my life when I have been sad. … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Comments Off on Terrors transcended

Contraflow

Posted on 18 September 2014 by Frank Norman

I was taught as a child that if you are walking on a road that has no pavement then you should walk on the side of the road so as to face the oncoming traffic. If the cars are driving on … Continue reading →

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One hundred years old

Posted on 16 September 2014 by Frank Norman

Just a few years back it seemed unlikely that we would ever celebrate our centenary. We were to be rejuvenated exterminated absorbed into a new Institute.  Back in 2007 when this project was announced we expected that 2013 would be the beginning … Continue reading →

Posted in 100NIMR, Books, Film and music, History | Comments Off on One hundred years old

Boundaries and boxes

Posted on 31 March 2014 by Frank Norman

No-one likes to be pigeonholed but the tendency to pigeonhole, or put things into boxes, comes naturally to us and can be valuable, within reason. Categories I think pigeonholing gets an overly bad press. The word has a pejorative ring, … Continue reading →

Posted in History | Comments Off on Boundaries and boxes

Address, affiliate, attribute

Posted on 17 February 2014 by Frank Norman

A few weeks back I saw an OA paper published in PNAS that has over 37,000 authors. (Well, that’s one way to defray the costs of OA charges!). There are ten regular authors, plus “EteRNA Participants” and a link in the footnotes to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Affiliation, Authorship | Comments Off on Address, affiliate, attribute

Music for love

Posted on 14 February 2014 by Frank Norman

Today, 14 February, was a day of celebration devoted to lovers and their love. Love remained a mystery to me for many years. Now that its full majesty has been revealed to me I embrace it with all my limbs … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Comments Off on Music for love

The Linnaean Society Library

Posted on 13 February 2014 by Frank Norman

Visiting other libraries can be a great source of inspiration to a librarian, giving you ideas to copy and making you jealous of the lovely things that other libraries have. Over the past twelve months I have hosted visits to … Continue reading →

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